Hiring A Career Coach? 10 Misconceptions To Be Aware Of

Understanding the true value of a coach

Career coaching and consulting can be a game-changer for many professionals, but there are still some misconceptions surrounding the industry. To debunk these myths, we asked 10 HR leaders and coaches to share their insights on the most common misconceptions people have about hiring a career coach or consultant.

From understanding the difference between coaches and consultants to realizing that career coaching is accessible for all budgets, these experts shed light on the true value of career guidance.

• Discovering Ultimate Aspirations
• Career Coaching for All Stages and Success Levels
• Not a Magic Bullet for Organizational Issues
• No Secret Sauce, Just Smart Reflection
• Coaches Assist Various Industries
• Understand the Difference Between Coaches and Consultants
• Career Coaches Empower, Not Guarantee Jobs
• Revealing and Addressing Blind Spots
• Affordable and Accessible for All Budgets
• No Guaranteed Job Placements

Discovering Ultimate Aspirations

The first step towards career satisfaction involves seeking advice from an alternative career coach, who can help identify opportunities and rewards in the future.

Coaching is not about making snap judgments or implementing wholesale changes all at once. Instead, its purpose is to shed light on one's objectives.

When faced with major life choices, family and friends might offer support, but their advice and opinions may not always be objective.

The primary responsibility of a career coach is to assist clients in discovering their ultimate aspirations, no matter how outlandish they may seem. These coaches aid in narrowing down the options until they find the perfect one, ultimately guiding individuals toward their desired destination.

Aleksandar Ginovski, Resume Expert, Product Manager, and Career Expert, Enhancv

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Career Coaching for All Stages and Success Levels

A common misconception about hiring a career coach or consultant is that it is only necessary for individuals who are struggling, facing significant career challenges, or are completely lost in their professional journey. This could not be further from the truth.

In reality, career coaches and consultants are valuable resources for professionals at any stage of their careers. Whether someone is starting out, seeking a promotion, considering a career change, or even an accomplished professional looking to sharpen their skills, a career coach can provide tailored guidance and support.

Working with a career coach or consultant allows professionals to gain valuable insights, develop a strategic approach to their careers, and achieve their goals more efficiently. It is essential to recognize that career coaching is not just for those in dire straits, but can be a powerful tool for anyone looking to maximize their potential and succeed in their chosen field.

Dominic Monn, CEO, MentorCruise

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Not a Magic Bullet for Organizational Issues

Career coaches and consultants are not a cure-all for resolving deeply rooted organizational issues. They can offer advice, enhance skills, and provide structures to help address the problems that led to their hiring. However, enacting change requires significant effort and support from the entire organization, from top to bottom.

Dragos Badea, CEO, Yarooms

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No Secret Sauce, Just Smart Reflection

Working with dozens of award-winning career coaches has revealed many misconceptions over the years.

One of the biggest misconceptions is the belief that a career coach will share some kind of "secret sauce" that will shortcut one's career. This leads many professionals to figure out this unique advantage on their own.

In reality, a career coach acts like a smart mirror. All the top coaches are brilliant listeners. They do not offer advice or shortcuts (at least not at the beginning).

These top career coaches reflect what is going on in one's psychology, on their teams, and in their organizations, so that the individual can clearly see the problem, to begin with.

From there, coaches help clients think through workable solutions and then fix the problem.

Therefore a career coach is so much more powerful than simply reading a book. It works because it is individual to the person and their organization.

Bogdan Zlatkov, Lead Instructor for HR and Hiring, Growth Hack Your Career

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Coaches Assist Various Industries

Career coaches are not limited to working with people in traditional corporate employment. They can also assist individuals in a variety of areas, such as entrepreneurship, creative fields, and non-profit organizations. These coaches can advise on navigating the specific obstacles and opportunities that each industry presents.

Edward Mellett, Co-founder, TestHQ

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Understand the Difference Between Coaches and Consultants

A prevalent misconception when hiring a coach involves role clarity. Consultants are subject experts who advise, while coaches are process experts who consider the client as their own best expert. Career coaching often includes a combination of services, with the key being to start with training, followed by consulting, and ultimately coaching.

Another common misconception when hiring a coach is assuming that someone who calls themselves a coach has the training or credentials. This can often result in them being more of a consultant than a coach. To ensure proper coaching, it is important to inquire about their training, experience, and credentials as a coach.

Cathy Liska, CEO, Center for Coaching Certification

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Career Coaches Empower, Not Guarantee Jobs

A common misconception is that a coach will do the work for someone or magically provide them with a job. In reality, a career coach/consultant helps explore career directions and choices. They can assist individuals at any point in their career— whether just starting out, looking for a change, considering dual career options, or wanting to advance within their current company.

They provide guidance, support, and expertise in areas, such as career planning; identifying the right job fitment based on competencies, qualifications, abilities, and personality; job searching; scope for networking and interning; and preparing for interviews and the job overall.

However, the ownership and accountability of the career path and the effort to make progress toward the goals remain with the individual. A coach/consultant can be a valuable resource and sounding board, but they cannot guarantee job offers or success without the individual's action and commitment.

Uravi Raichandani, Domain Expert (Assessor and Coach), Naman HR

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Revealing and Addressing Blind Spots

A coach's primary focus is to support individuals in connecting with all that they are and all that they can be. Many professionals understand their strengths and areas of improvement, and if they do not, a coach can assist with that as well. However, some things might not be as visible. These beliefs and behaviors may hold people back, sidetrack their growth, or limit their career trajectories. These are referred to as "blind spots."

Coaches are trained to recognize and work with clients to bring these blind spots into full view. By doing so, clients can experience their full potential.

Jennifer Lee, Coach, Up Front Coach

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Affordable and Accessible for All Budgets

Career coaching may be perceived as expensive and exclusive to high-level executives, but in reality, many coaches offer flexible pricing options and packages to accommodate various budgets and needs. Some provide a one-time session or a package of several sessions at an affordable price point, while others offer long-term coaching relationships that are customizable to meet specific objectives and goals. Many coaches provide different payment plans to make coaching more accessible.

Investing in oneself and one's career is a wise decision that can yield significant returns over time, such as a promotion, a higher salary, or increased job satisfaction. Engaging in career coaching can help develop a clear career vision, set achievable goals, and gain the skills and strategies necessary to excel in a chosen profession.

Kimberley Tyler-Smith, VP of Strategy and Growth, Resume Worded

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No Guaranteed Job Placements

When encountering a career coach or consultant making a guarantee, it is wise to tread carefully. Career coaches and consultants serve a different function than recruiters or headhunters whose primary job is to place candidates for jobs.

The role of a career coach or consultant is to help optimize the job search process, leading to a better or more fulfilling career choice that matches an individual's skills, values, and interests. They help clarify what one is looking for, ensuring a sound process is being executed, and providing context in what can often be a lonely journey with little feedback.

As the saying goes, if there was a proven way to get a job, everyone would simply follow those steps. However, the career search is a complex, dynamic process. This complexity is why there are so many different career coaches available. There are many ways to approach this work, allowing individuals to seek a coach whose process and philosophy best align with their own needs.

Pat Fligge, Director of Temple Professional Network, Temple University

 

Author Bio

Brett Framiloe is the Founder / CEO and currently the CHRO of Terkel.io. Brett is a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Influencer and has also been a keynote speaker at several state SHRM conferences around the topic of employee engagement.